


A True Test

by Sioroul



Category: Pocket Monsters Diamond-Pearl Legend: Pokémon DP | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Non-Binary Character, F/F, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, Other, Pokemon - Freeform, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-30 00:36:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13938834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sioroul/pseuds/Sioroul
Summary: Lali has always been a little wary of the journey she was destined to take. Leaving home at fifteen to travel the world - it seemed dangerous, and exhilirating. A far off dream too fantastical to be real. Graduation day snuck up on her, and suddenly she's faced with a choice.Give in to her natural talents as a pokemon whisperer, or to let fear overrule her love for pokemon.





	A True Test

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own pretty much everything except the actual Pokemon and a few lines I took from the game itself. All of the characters are OC's I've made for this specific fanfic.
> 
> Hey y'all! I don't normally write fanfictions, but Pokemon has been a huge part of my childhood for so long, I wanted to make it part of my future as well. I love the Sinnoh region in particular, so that's the setting of this story!
> 
> I've kinda built this story around the pokemon universe, so there are a few inconsistencies that I've made to better fit the story. Like, instead of turning ten and going on this insane journey as a child, the kids in Sinnoh go to school from ages 5 to 15 to learn about pokemon and how to survive on their own.
> 
> They graduate at 15, and then they're sent on their journey through Sinnoh. This pokemon universe is gonna be a bit more realistic too, and I'm not gonna sugarcoat any violence. Which is why the kids are fifteen instead of ten, because trauma is a huge thing for kiddos.
> 
> So yeah, that's enough from me lol Let me know what y'all think!

Inhale. Exhale.

_You can do this, you can do this - I mean it’s not like you haven’t been prepared for this...for the past five years..._

Breathe, Lali, breathe.

_Can a person die from extremely shallow breathing? I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared in my entire life… not even when -_ “No, nope, we are not going there today.”

Lali sucked in a thick burst of air, filling her lungs with the smell of fresh grass and sweet flowers. Her feet were planted and probably growing flowers between her toes for as long as she had been standing there, staring at the sliding glass doors. Through the gleaming glass, she watched as twelve of her classmates gathered in the lobby, mouths moving as their excitement seemed to bounce off the walls. Lali gulped, her toes digging into the dirt as her hands flexed at her sides. Excited was not the first emotion she would have used to describe herself in this moment. Maybe _sick_ or _nervous_ or _ready to crawl back into the grave she rose from that morning_.

Forlornly, she thought of the familiar bed with ruffled sheets and inviting colours at her mother’s house, finding herself wishing with all her soul that today had never arrived.

Graduation day.

“LALI!!”

A force spontaneously barreled into her, knocking her clean off her feet and into the soft plot of grass surrounding the research building. Laughter swam around her head as she lifted it from the green bed, grass stains streaking over her cheek like war paint. Two faces waved above her, accompanying the weight crushing her chest into the ground - however once her eyes focused, they converged into a singular visage. One she knew rather well.

“Autumn!” She groaned, dropping her head back into the verdigris in exasperation. “Was that really necessary?”

“You know it.” Autumn grinned, draping their long body over Lali’s and pressing their forehead to hers. “It’s called a tackle, sweetheart. You should know I never hold back.”

Lali rolled her eyes heavily, the indigo of her eyes almost disappearing into her skull. She was used to her childhood friend’s touchiness - after seven years it was hard not to be acclimated. She couldn’t stand anyone else tackling her into the fucking grass, that’s for sure.

“Too close Autumn, too close.”

They laughed, rolling off of her and bouncing to their feet, holding out their hand for her to take. Lali pressed their palms together and the taller teen heaved her back on her toes. “In truth, you just looked like you were about to run home before you got your pokemon, and I didn’t want you to miss out.”

Lali swallowed heavily, feigning brushing herself free of any microscopic particles of dirt or mud to stall. She was silent for a full minute, the sound of rustling clothes and chirps from the sky breaking the moment gently. Autumn softened, a sigh leaving their lips.

“You really don’t want to go?” They asked quietly, their shining gray eyes filled with so much concern that she had to look away.

_No. I’d rather spend the rest of my life sleeping._

“I… I don’t really know.” She mumbled, glancing at the glass doors once more. “ … Are we really ready for this?’

“We’ve been in school for this since we were five, Lali. I don’t know about you but I think we’re more than ready. Yeah we’re only fifteen - but hey, decades ago kids would take their journeys when they turned ten. Imagine leaving home then!” Autumn grasped her hands, an excited smile lighting up their eyes. “Lali, we are more than ready. Remember what Oak said about the journey - ‘A world of dreams and adventures with pokemon await!’”

“That’s totally not relevant to what I feel right now.” Lali said flatly, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked down at her dirty, paint chipped toenails. She felt Autumn’s fingers on her cheeks, their thumb rubbing at the grass stain. She sighed heavily, leaning into their hands. Her chest constricted, her eyes stinging at the edges suddenly. She inhaled deeply, disguising her sniffle with the clearing of her throat. Before she could pull away, Autumn had wrapped her in a warm hug, refusing to give no matter how much she started squirming. Eventually she just gave up, leaning into their chest reluctantly.

Their voice was soothing as they rubbed her back through her sweater. Even if she couldn’t see it, she could hear their understanding smile as they spoke, “I know you’re scared Lali. I may not show it, but I’m actually terrified.”

“ … You are?” Autumn’s cotton shirt muffled her words beyond recognition, but they understood regardless.

“Of course! I mean, leaving home is one thing, but traveling across the entire Sinnoh region alone? It’s scary as shit!”

Lali let out a surprised laugh, burrowing deeper into Autumn’s embrace as the knot in her chest started to unwind. Knowing that the same friend who once dove head deep into the sea with several Gyarados within touching distance, was scared of traveling alone like her… It definitely helped.

“I just… I’m so scared that I won’t be good enough, Autumn.” She admitted softly, stepping back slightly to look up at her friend.

Their eyebrows furrowed, mouth turning down at the corners. “Won’t be good enough? Lali you almost became valedictorian of our class! How could you think -”

“No! No Autumn that’s… that’s not what I mean.” Her hands grasped at the base of her sweater, gripping and releasing the fabric until it started to stretch around her stomach. “Academics mean absolutely nothing when we’re shoved into reality. All of a sudden we have this partner who is going to rely on us and whom we have to rely completely on to protect us and - what if I can’t train them? What if I… What if I go about it all the wrong way and they end up hating me? They’ll be stuck with me no matter what, because the Professor was really adamant about keeping our pokemon by us at all times. She never said anything about the cases where pokemon have loathed their trainers and tried to run away or anything like that - what if -!” Her breath started coming in quick, shallow bursts, her eyes wide and unseeing as she saw the disastrous future in her imagination.

“Lali - LALI! Hey, calm down sweetheart, look at me.” Autumn’s voice snapped her to reality, her pupils dilating as their hands grasped at her chin and cheek. She finally focused on the calming gray of their eyes, her breath hitching in her throat as a tear dripped over their thumb. Their gaze was unwavering, their expression as serious as she had ever seen it. Maybe that was why she was paying so much attention to them, rather than returning to her panic.

“You are the sweetest human being I have ever met.” They said slowly, stroking her grass stain fondly. “If you suck at training pokemon, I will personally throw you a pity party - however. That’s never going to happen.”

“B-but how do you -”

“Do you remember that sick Poochyena we found when we were eight?”

“Wh-what?”

“The Poochyena we found in the tall grass near the junkyard? It’s paw was caught in a rusty bike wheel and it was almost passed out by the time we found it?”

“Y… yeah I remember it? What does that have to do with anything?”

“You remember how it tried to bite you when you went to free it?”

“Um… I don’t like to think about it. It’s a dark memory.”

“But you did free it. You kept talking to it, and just your voice was enough to calm it down enough for you to get its paw unstuck. It actually let you pick it up and carry it to the Professor’s lab after the fact!”

“ … So?”

“So? Do you know anyone else who could tame a wild Poochyena by words alone? Lali I don’t know how you haven’t realised this but you have a gift with pokemon. You saved me from angry Spearow when I pissed off the flock, you used to pretend that you could understand their language - Dude you’ve done these little things for pokemon your entire life and you’ve never acknowledged their connection to you? You’re either super dense or too afraid to see how much you care about them.”

Lali was rendered speechless.

Autumn was patient enough to wait for her, their eyes wandering from hers and gazing through the doors at the rest of their class. They were running a bit short on time, but Autumn knew their friend needed to be at least semi ready for what they were about to embark on. Still, they began to fidget once a woman in a white lab coat sashayed to the front of the class and began to speak. Autumn couldn’t hear her words, but still felt the excitement take hold all the same. They desperately wanted to join the class, but they refused to go in without Lali. She was the reason they had made it to this point, there was no way they’d take this final step without her.

The glass doors slid open with a soft shhhh, and a hand slid into Autumn’s.

“C’mon you sad excuse for a season, let’s get you a pokemon partner.”

Autumn’s lips split into a wide, happy grin. They tightened their grip on Lali’s hand, allowing her to drag them across the threshold.

Lali and Autumn made their way to the back of the group just as Professor Anne Birch finished up her introductory speech for the graduates. With a wry smile and nod towards Autumn and Lali, she spoke the words of her great grandfather, flashing her signature smile. “Your very own adventure is about to unfold! Take courage and leap into our world of Pokemon where dreams, friendship, and adventure await!”

The class applauded appropriately, half of them dead-eyeing the sliding door behind the petite professor in anticipation. Birch stepped off the raised portion of floor, her flip-flops slapping against her heels as she walked away from the group.

“Alright, now that that’s taken care of - I’m going to lead you guys into the heart of the lab. We have several starters for you to choose from there - and thanks to our international expansion program, we have starters from the Kanto region and all the way to western Kalos. We also rehabilitate wild pokemon here, so you have the choice of pokemon outside the starter basics as well.” The professor laughed, her glasses slipping down her nose a little. “You have plenty of options."

Murmurs exploded among the group of teens, excitement rolling over them like waves of energy. Lali merely gripped her hands into fists, the energy around her only serving to make her more anxious. Autumn was bouncing on their toes, their hands clutched close to their chest to quell the trembling in their fingers. Lali gently grasped Autumn’s wrist, her smooth ebony fingers a wild contrast against Autumn’s pale blue veins.

“Calm down Autumn, they still might not have the pokemon you want.” She whispered to them, their class following Professor Birch like a herd of ducklings.

Autumn shook their head, joining the crowd happily as they filed through the doors. “I don’t know what I want, besides a friend. So it’s hard to disappoint me.” They grinned broadly at her as she trailed behind, skirting around the staff in lab coats as they raced about the linoleum floors. Lali watched as the researchers moved around their class as if they weren’t even there, frantic expressions hidden behind stacks of paper and navigators pressed tightly to their ears. The laboratory itself looked more like a high-tech office than anything, although large metal containers popped up in between cubicles, likely filled with some kind of solvent used in healing potions.

“Wow… they seem busy.” She murmured, her braided locks whooshing behind her when she jerked back into line, a lab coat nearly mowing her down in their haste.

“Yeah.” Autumn’s eyes were wide, taking the bustle in stride as they used their height to part the sea of people. “I wonder why? Aren’t they supposed to just research pokemon?”

“Actually, we do a lot more than just research.”

Lali and Autumn nearly jumped out of their skins as Professor Birch sidled up beside them. Lali didn’t even realise they’d made it to the front of the group - everyone else had allowed them to lead, considering Autumn was parting the sea with their height. Professor Birch herself had decided to stick a little bit behind the teen as well, smiling pleasantly all the while.

“We develop new apps for the PokeNav Plus, and we’re the number one publisher of PokeDex updates, so things are constantly moving forward here. We work with everything from storing pokemon in the PC to working out the newest flavour of Hyper Potion. Most of all though, we work to rehabilitate injured wild pokemon.”

“Injured wild pokemon? Don’t they take care of themselves when in the wild?” Autumn asked. The professor hooked her arm into their elbow and steered them around a corner to the quieter parts of the lab. “That’s what we learned in class anyway.”

Professor Birch’s expression soured, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Yes, that is true. However, the pokemon we help have been harmed in far worse ways than normal battles.”

Lali frowned, skipping ahead to walk at Professor Birch’s other side. “What do you mean?”

Birch looked between the two friends, her eyes saddening behind her half-moon lenses. They were still too young, even at fifteen. Much too young.

“I’ll let you know after you choose your partners.” She said with a forced smile, striding to a large metal door at the end of the hall. Fluorescent letters spelled out **S T A R T** in blinding red above it, burning permanently into Lali’s retinas. Autumn had fallen back to mingle with the rest of their classmates, the buzz stirring among them suddenly vanishing as the professor heaved the door ajar.

“I’ll have you guys go in one at a time, so the pokemon aren’t startled by you all.” She said, a bit of pep returning in her voice. “We’ll start with… Um… I’m sorry dear, what was your name?”

Lali’s eyes widened, her neck craning around to look at Autumn in distress. She was the only one left at the very front.

“Fuck.” She muttered to herself, her hands trembling at her sides. Autumn gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up, even as her expression morphed to pure terror. _THAT DOESN’T HELP ME, AUTUMN!_ Lali screamed silently, hesitantly meeting the professor’s patient eyes.

“U-u-um ma’am, I-I’d rather go a bit laterr…” She said quietly, the skin on her knuckles growing lighter as the pressure increased between her fingers.

“Let one of us go first!” Called a boy from the back of the group, “We wanna leave before dark anyway!”

Laughter spread through the teens, echoing and multiplying off of the metal walls. Professor Birch frowned, watching as Lali visibly shrunk under her gaze in shame. The woman fixed her glasses with one hand, locking the boy who had spoken up in a glare. “I’m sorry honey, but I did pick you first. Please, go in.” She fixed the now quiet class with a pointed smile. “Take as long as you need - we have time.”

Lali swallowed heavily, seeing she had no choice but to comply. With one last look at Autumn’s supportive grin, she shuffled through the looming metal door frame. Vibrant greens and blues seemed to glow against the dull gray border, her bare toes previously cold from the tile floors were warmed by sunlight streaming from the ceiling. She blinked heavily against the burst of light, her eyes adjusting to the change of scenery slowly.

Spread out before her was a large glass dome enclosure, different environments bursting forth from the borders. Everywhere she looked, she could find the colours of pokemon contrasted against their ecosystems. Several flame types gathered in the warm earthy corner, flames bursting from their tails and backs as they chased each other through the dirt. Grass types bloomed close to her, a Bulbasaur and Chikorita playing tag around a pond centered between each of the ecosystems. There were even a few electric types huddled close to the metal border of another doorway, sparks flying off of the steel as a Pikachu and Shinx messed with the metal’s conductivity.

It was like a pokemon safe haven.

Lali couldn’t help but stare for the first few minutes, her analytical side absorbing each type she could see and organising them by ecosystem. A few Grass types stopped a ways away, staring at this odd barefooted girl who appeared in their part of the dome. Gradually they left her alone, seeing as she wasn’t even moving at the moment - it had become boring.

There were so many pokemon to choose from - god how would she be able to decide?? She vaguely remembered the few times she actually had to make a choice in life - like which room she wanted in her new house, or which elective she could choose to take. She would always feel so overwhelmed by the decision that at one point she was almost driven into a panic attack. It was then that her father had shown her the beauty of a coin toss. Pick a side, heads or tails, and then toss it. If it ends up being heads, and you chose heads, you won. If it was tails, then you lose. Simple as that. She always ended up at an impasse between two choices, so the coin toss was a godsend.

_I don’t think choosing a pokemon by coin toss is going to work though…_ She thought sardonically, shuffling farther into the enclosure. _Although I do have a coin in my pocket… maybe I could do a toss, just to speed things up a bit?_ Her hand was already fishing around her pocket for the round PokeDollar coin her dad had given her a couple of years ago. She never left home without it.

_Okay so… I’m not a huge fan of Grass or Ground types - not that they aren’t fantastic pokemon, it’s just that they don’t… they don’t feel right at the moment. Electric types are cute too, but I’m just not feelin’ it. So let’s toss for either Water or Fire types…_ Lali sucked in a deep breath, palming the coin and maneuvering it to balance on the tip of her thumb. _Heads for Water… Tails for Fire._

Heart starting to hammer in her ears, she flicked the coin into the air. She followed its path in the air so intensely, she didn’t hear the commotion happening on the other side of the dome.

The peaceful pokemon around her suddenly scattered in every direction, scared cries sounding all around her as pokemon rushed away from the other end of the dome. Lali nearly jumped out of her own skin as a loud _Ka-THUNK_ echoed over the ecosystems. Her coin landed soundlessly in the grass, though her gaze was locked on the smoking remnants of a wall near the Ground types. The gaping hole of the metal door was dented outwards, the door itself flying over the enclosure and arching beautifully before landing in the pond. Water sloshed out in a massive tidal effect, scattering the poor water pokemon over dirt and grass alike. A bluish-black blur streaked from the open gateway, followed by five men and women in lab coats and tranquilizer guns. Lali was frozen in place, watching numbly as the blur stopped on the top of a boulder, looking at its surroundings like a prisoner looking for an escape route. It’s sharp violet gaze landed on Lali for only half a second, but she still felt an unearthly jolt in her chest once she caught a good look at the rogue pokemon.

Hunched over like it was, the pokemon couldn’t be taller than her knee (and Lali was barely five foot two), the black fur on its torso spiked along its spine in panic. Blue and black paws gripped the rock beneath it like claws; the mask over its face seemed black as the night in contrast to the rest of its blue fur, and the tan/whiteness of the natural fur collar on its neck. Lali didn’t have to wrack her brain too long to recognize the distinctive steel lumps on its arms, and the terror that reflected in her soul.

It was a Riolu.

The canine pokemon flinched as the researchers shouted to one another - the five beginning to close in on the runaway once it was spotted. Lali felt an anger start to stir in her stomach, a fury that she could never remember possessing before stoking a fire in her hands and feet. In one moment, she was standing numbly, and then next she found herself in front of the adult researchers with five tranquilizer guns aimed towards her. Seeing the guns definitely doused the fire in her heart a bit, but she could feel the exhaustion of the pokemon behind her, fear palpable in the distance between them. She didn’t know where this courage came from, but she knew these researchers were handling the situation horribly.

“What in the frilly hell do you think you’re doing?” She found herself demanding, surprised at how solid her voice sounded. “You’re scaring this poor Riolu to death, with all the guns and the hostile yelling and shit.”

To say the adults were stunned would be a vast understatement. Silence chirped between them for a good minute, as if time had come to a standstill. Not even the Riolu moved, seemingly glued to the top of its boulder as this strange human positioned herself between the researchers and its perch.

Finally, one of the adults stepped forward with the tranquilizer lowered to his side, concern furrowing his bushy eyebrows. “Listen, you don’t know what’s going on kid. We need to incapacitate that Riolu before it gets worked up again. It’s still recovering from the trauma it sustained before we took it in, and if it continues to run, things could get really ugly.”

“Trauma?” Lali blinked, her lips turning down at the corners as she risked a glance over her shoulder. She had to bite back a gasp, teeth clamping around her tongue to avoid the sharp inhale. Now that she was much closer to the pokemon, she could see that not all was right with this Riolu.

The tip of its ear was shredded and scarred at the edges, scarring appearing on and around both of the steel pockets on its arms like someone had tried to rip it out of the Riolu’s arms. It had a nub missing on one of its front paws, black wiring mending it at the base and blood leaking between a few torn stitches. A deep and nasty cut ran over the bridge of its little nose, arching up towards the other undamaged ear (still bleeding slightly). It’s tail was cropped short, holding only a few inches in length, rather than a foot. The only thing undamaged on the pokemon were the teardrop shaped extensions on either side of its head - Lali had read that Riolu’s were very powerful in detecting auras and communicating with thought waves. Its extensions were the only way to access that ability, as far as she knew. Whoever tortured the Riolu probably had use for its power, but enjoyed torturing it to force it into compliance. Fuck, even the blue fur on its body was receding at the edges of each wound, almost like someone had cut away the fur to tend to them, leaving a few bald patches where there should have been smooth, short fur.

She wanted to cry. The Riolu was looking up at her as if she was the one who had disfigured it, a violet gaze so sharp and intelligent, though muddled with anger and uncertainty. The pokemon was shaking like a leaf, blood dripping from its nose and creating a small puddle at its little black feet. The image started to become blurry for Lali, as tears snaked their way down her cheeks and plopped onto her dirty toes.

“Wh… who…” She whispered, unconsciously moving towards the hurt creature. “Who would do such a thing… ?”

The Riolu immediately began to scoot away from her as she approached, a weak warning growl bursting from its throat. Lali paused, sniffling with tears still rolling down her face and no sign of stemming the flow anytime soon. Her heart ached to hold this poor damaged creature, to show it compassion where it had clearly had been shown none in its lifetime. The researchers behind her dared not to move - the Riolu could plainly see them, and it might take off if any of them were to try and raise their gun to it.

“You’ve been hurt… p-pretty badly…” She murmured, keeping eye contact with it as she lowered herself to the ground as slow as possible. The Riolu’s eyes skirted her up and down, though because it didn’t run away immediately, Lali considered it a step in the right direction.

Whatever direction this event would end up taking her.

“You don’t trust humans.” She said, placing a hand on the ground to leverage herself into a sitting position. “You don’t want to trust them.”

The creature’s tear-drop extensions started to twitch, and Lali felt a flash of fear, though it wasn’t her own. Like an apparition, the feeling left as abruptly as it came. It left a strange calm in its wake, one that Lali somehow knew the Riolu would pick up on. Already its shoulders were beginning to relax, its eyes becoming more and more tired. Lali quietly scooted herself closer to the pokemon, inching little by little towards the boulder it stood upon.

“I don’t blame you for hating us.” She whispered soothingly. Almost there… “I would too. But these scary people behind me are only trying to help you… Like me.”

**_Like you?_ **

Lali stopped. That wasn’t her thought.

**_Who are you?_ **

“Who… who am I?” She whispered, briefly wondering if maybe she was hit with that flying door and she just didn’t know it.

The Riolu’s gaze, as tired as it was, did not waver.

_**Who are you?**_ The voice in her head was no louder than a whisper, but she could hear every rounded vowel, every pronunciation as if it was being spoken to her normally.

“I… I’m Lali. I’m… um… I’m a new trainer… ?”

The adults behind her started to exchange wide eyed looks. Maybe the poor girl had gone mad?

_**A… trainer… ?** _

“A trainer is… um… s-someone who trains… pokemon? H-helps them get stronger… travels the world… New trainers are supposed t-to choose a partner to start… st-start the journey with.”

_**Partner…?** _

The voice sounded like it was getting weaker and weaker, and the Riolu was starting to shake even harder. It must be taking a lot of effort to communicate, Lali realised. Her thoughts were a bit muddled due to shock and possible brain injury - but, she did have an idea.

“Yes, a partner.” She said softly, scooting right up to the boulder and coming within touching distance of the weak pokemon. She didn’t dare to reach. “Partners help each other through the toughest times, and they care for one another because they have that special bond. Like friendship.”

_**Fr… friends…** _

“Riolu.” Lali caught it’s attention with her hands open near her chest. Vulnerability. An invitation.

It stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, red droplets streaking down its chest and toes carelessly. A need had taken root in its purple irises - desire, hope, and mistrust all rolled into one like it couldn’t choose which to hold onto, and which to let go. It gave the researchers a quick glance, before it locked back onto Lali’s eyes. Slowly, it began to shift. As if moving through molasses, the Riolu slid down the boulder with feet first. It stumbled when it’s black paws touched the dust, but Lali was quick to press a gentle hand on its chest, steadying it. The pokemon’s torn ear twitched, its eyes fluttering closed.

_**Friends… Lali...** _

Exhausted and weak, the Riolu slumped against her hand, passing out immediately after their whispered voice began to fade from her head. She cradled the small pokemon in her lap, a sob sticking in her throat. Absolutely astonished, the researchers remained frozen a few feet behind the new pokemon trainer. 

Suddenly, she turned her burning gaze to them, her voice hardened even as tears dripped off her chin while she spoke. “Well what are you waiting for? Heal it!”

Startled into action, the researchers quickly moved in and began taking the pokemon’s vitals. Her heart clenched when they took the limp creature from her, but she knew she had to let them do their jobs. The group of researchers hustled back out of the hole in the wall, a few curious pokemon scattering away as they passed.

Lali remained in the dirt, still halfway in shock. Out of the corner of her eye, Autumn’s tall figure raced across the grass towards her, followed quickly by the sound of Professor Birch’s flip flops. The rest of her class was still huddled by the entrance she’d taken earlier, their stares burning into her clothes like lit cigarettes.

“Lali! Are you alright?” Autumn cried, skidding to halt beside her and dropping to their knees. They quickly did a once over of her, panic fading a bit as they realised she was unharmed.

“Y...yeah.” She murmured numbly, staring blankly in the distance. “I’m… Yeah I’m fine.”

Professor Birch stopped a few feet away, panting slightly as she looked between the teen and the ripped metal nearby. A few of the interns had begun to cover the hole with bookshelves and chairs, preventing any of the pokemon in the enclosure from leaving.

“...Lali, was it?” Professor Birch said, her voice soft as she joined the two friends.

The girl looked up, her dark blue eyes wide and dazed. She nodded a little too quickly, suddenly seeming nervous. The professor smiled, squatting down to look her in the eye. She didn’t seem to care that her pristine white lab coat was in the dirt, a bit of the fascination she’d been holding back beginning to bleed into her expression.

“I’ve never seen anything like that, in all my years of pokemon research.” Birch said genuinely, the crows feet at her temples suddenly crinkling deeply as she flashed a grin. “I saw a bond form between you and that Riolu before my very eyes. I can’t tell you how much of a privilege that was.”

Lali slowly began to smile, a bit of a thrill vibrating through her body. Autumn took her hand and squeezed, offering an anchor like they knew exactly what she needed. She gathered her thoughts finally, swallowing the sudden dryness in her throat.

“I...It spoke to me.” She said, squeezing Autumn’s hand tightly.

“...I’m sorry?” The professor’s smile faltered, her glasses slipping slightly down her nose.

“The Riolu.” Lali said, avoiding Autumn’s wide eyes as she focused on the adult before her. Her voice grew stronger as she convinced herself that what she heard wasn’t an illusion. “It...it sounds crazy, but the Riolu spoke to me in my head.”

Professor Birch’s eyes widened, and she stood back up abruptly. “What did it say?”

Lali blinked, gaping a bit. “U-um… It asked me who I was. It didn’t understand the word trainer, or friends, so I...I explained to it what they were. I think just hearing me talk helped it calm down or something, I don’t… I don't know if it actually understood me.”

The professor ran a hand through her bangs, blowing out a heavy breath through tight lips. “...Lali, how much do you know about Riolus?”

“Um… they’re a dog-like pokemon, it’s rare to find them in the wild, they’re mostly bred in captivity for their psychic abilities… They evolve into Lucario -”

“Riolus are not psychic.” Birch interrupted, looking troubled. “Lucarios are psychic-fighting types, but Riolus don’t show any signs of psychic abilities. They deal in auras, but telepathic communication is something virtually unheard of in their evolutionary state.”

Lali’s blood turned cold in her veins, a stone settling in the very bottom of her stomach. Feeling as if she was speaking through a lump in her throat, the teen’s knuckles paled as she gripped at her best friend’s hand. “What...what does that mean…?”

Professor Birch frowned, looking back at the class huddled by the entrance doors. She checked her watch, and turned to the two teens. “...It means we have a few things we need to discuss. Can you two stay behind after everyone else chooses their starter? I’d like for Lali to be with the Riolu before it wakes up.”

“Why?” Autumn asked, their voice soft and worried.

“Well,” The professor laughed a little, though there was little humor in her voice, “The last time it woke up alone, it did that.”

She gestured to the metal fragments forking out of the wall like fingers reaching, the wooden backs of bookshelves covering the gaping hole. Lali and Autumn gulped. The professor motioned for them to stand, a small, apologetic smile on her face. “I don’t mean to scare you hun, but I believe that if it sees you first, it’ll read your aura and feel comforted. A familiar aura is like a familiar face to them, and quite possibly, it may choose to speak to you again.”

The teens scrambled to their feet together, looking at each other as the professor began to walk away.

“Come along,” She called, waving at them to follow. “Autumn, you need to pick your starter still. Lali can wait in the lobby until you’re done, and then I’ll have someone take you to Riolu’s room.”

“You just had to be the protagonist, didn’t you?” Autumn whispered playfully to his friend, nudging her shoulder as they joined the professor and approached their class.

“Too bad I didn’t dye my hair a weird color.” Lali grumbled, struggling not to falter in front of all the eyes pointed in her direction.

“Personally, I think you’d look great in blue.” Autumn commented, consciously moving in between their friend and the rest of the class, practically escorting her. “It’d really bring out your eyes.”

“That’s pretty gay.” Lali snorted, sharing a wide grin with them.

“Autumn, stay back with the class.” The professor said, standing at the front of the teenagers.

The tall person nodded, their floppy, curled hair bouncing in their face. “Yes ma’am.” They turned to Lali and smiled, some of their excitement returning to them. “I’ll meet you out here when I’m done?”

Lali grinned, lightly pushing them away. “Yes yes, go get your partner. I’m not going anywhere.”

Autumn bounced on their toes with glee, giving their friend one last brilliant smile before darting back into the group. Lali watched them go, her fond smile fading slightly as the image of the injured pokemon flashed in her mind’s eye. She turned to sit down on a booth against the far wall, wedged between a large metal container and a cubicle.

The energy drained from her limbs like water in a sieve, her hands trembling slightly. She twisted them together nervously, staring at the floor.

_Who on earth could have done that to Riolu?_ She thought worriedly, twisting one of her braids between her fingers. _The iron in its arms… the tool marks around it… Did… did a trainer do that?_

She felt bile rise up in her throat at the very thought, the acid burning her throat viciously. She held it down with a wince. Dropping her head into her hands, Lali ran her fingers through the intricate strands of braids.

_If a trainer did that to Riolu… how on earth can I expect it to trust me?_ She wondered with despair. _Do they want me to be its trainer?_

The bustle around her faded into static, and Lali sat in silence.

She had to wait for answers.


End file.
